Percy's Hate...or is it Love?
by BranwenStoryTeller
Summary: After ending his relationship with Penelope, Percy is heartbroken. To make matters worse, a new girl at work is really getting on his nerves! Soon things will change for Percy..hopefully for the better...
1. Penelope's Letter

PERCY'S ROMANCE

By: Kathrina Gafycz 

Chapter 1: Penelope's Letter 

_Dearest Percy,_

_            I know we've shared many wonderful times together, and I've enjoyed every moment of them. We've been together for a while now, and I think it's best if we just end it here, before something happens. Things have been tense between us, and I could sense the end nearing. It would be much easier to end things before we get hurt. The best of luck to you: my dearest Percy. I will miss you!                                     _

_Yours Truly,  _

            Penelope 

Tears slid onto the thick parchment, his last note from Penelope. Percy was heart-broken; he had loved Penelope with all his heart. He had thought she felt the same. Damn her! Was it his imagination, or did these bad things always seem to happen to him? A few more tears made their way onto the parchment before he brushed them away with his left hand. He threw the note onto his cluttered, disorganized desk, and flopped onto his messy bed with a sigh. He tried to go to sleep, but found that when he closed his eyes a picture of Penelope entered his mind. Without thinking, he smacked his hand over his eyes. With a shatter, the lenses of his glasses popped out. 

"Not again!" He sat up and searched around for the missing lens. Returning to his laying position empty-handed, he again tried to close his eyes with the same result. He opened his eyes, frustrated, and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. After those few moments of searching the ceiling for his answer, he slightly turned his head to the open window. A cool breeze blew through it and the sun shone in to dry his tears. 

"I can't just lay here and dream about the past all day." He scolded himself. He got up and headed for the bathroom. He was expecting for it to be occupied, having lived with seven siblings all his life, and was a little surprised when he found that it was empty. But then he remembered that he had his own apartment in London. He walked up to the ceramic pedestal sink and turned the brass tap to a full blast of icy water; which he splashed onto his face, (after removing his glasses.) He then changed his wrinkled clothes and fixed his glasses with his wand. After freshening himself up a bit, he was ready for a trip into Diagon Alley. 

Upon entering the Leaky Cauldron, he decided to get a drink before making his way into the bustling wizarding shops. Walking up to the counter, he cleared his throat to catch Tom's attention. After a few throat clearings, in which almost the whole place turned their heads to look at the culprit and Percy turned a deep crimson, Tom strode over to his embarrassed customer. 

"Ah, Arthur's son…how may I help you, Percy m'lad?" Tom beamed his toothless smile at Percy at the question. 

"A mint tea, please, hold the brandy." Percy took a seat on one of the bar stools supplied at the counter and waited for his drink to arrive. During the wait, he gazed around the room. He recognized a few of the visitors, but most were strangers to him. His eyes roved over the scene, until they drifted over towards the door. He watched the girl standing there. She was beautiful! Not very tall, with soft-looking light golden hair, deep brown eyes and a pale blue robe. She stood in the doorway for a moment, looking around for a place to sit down. And to make things more exciting for the depressed young man, she was heading his way.


	2. Hate At First Sight

PERCY'S HATE…OR IS IT LOVE?

Chapter 2: Hate at First Sight

The girl with the golden hair was heading his way! He watched her for a moment, and then sighed dejectedly while turning around to face the counter once more. He placed his chin in his hand and with the other retrieved his tea from Tom, who had just walked over to deliver the drink. He took a few sips of tea and half closed his eyes, trying to block out anything and everything; all he wanted was a moment to him where there would be no painful thoughts or visions. He was about to have another sip of tea when a deep voice startled him, causing him to jump up and spill tea all over his neatly pressed gray robes. He spun on his heel to see whom the voice belonged to. Percy looked for a moment straight ahead, but saw nothing. On instinct, he looked down, right into the face of his Head of Department, Alden Connelly. Ever since his former boss, Bartemius Crouch, had been murdered by his own son, Connelly had been sent from the Rights of All Magical Counterparts Office to take over the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Percy drew out his hand to Connelly, which Connelly shook affably. Connelly took a seat on the barstool next to Percy and motioned for his companion to do the same. Percy had not noticed before, but the golden haired girl was with his boss the whole time. Percy eyed the girl, wondering what to make of her. Connelly, however, took no notice of the slight tension between the two younger people, and smiled at both. 

"Ah, Percy…just the person I've been wanting to see. This here is…" Connelly was cut off by Tom's arrival.

" 'Ello there 'ster Connelly, 'ow may I be of service to ye?" Tom wiped his aged, weathered hands on a dishtowel tucked into his apron. Though Tom had an elderly appearance, he had a humorous manner and an adolescent twinkle in his cerulean eyes. 

"Hallo Tom! I'll just have a mineral water, anyone else want to order?" He glanced at the two sitting on his left and right.  

"I think I'm all right." Percy quickly raised his teacup, resulting in him spilling the remains of his tea all over himself, his boss, Tom, and the girl. His face turned a bright shade of burgundy and just noticed that the girl had rolled her eyes and was trying to suppress mocking laughter. Tea dripping from his long crooked nose, his horn-rimmed glasses dangling from one ear, he glared at this girl. He may have thought she was pretty before, but now he saw her as the cruelest person he had ever laid eyes on! The oblivious Mr. Connelly did not notice any of the mounting apprehension. Instead he took a swig of his crystalline water, and then set the empty glass onto the slippery counter. Leaning back, he looked at Percy. 

"Aye, you might be wantin' to clean yerself up a bit, Percy." Apparently not hearing these instructions, Percy continued to glare at the evil woman sitting just two feet away from him. If he had not been paralyzed with anger, he would've struck out his wand and hexed her right in the middle of the crowd. Mistaking Percy's silence for ignorance, Connelly's face softened and he took out his own wand. 

"_Everriculum!"_ Immediately the droplets of tea were zapped into the tip of Connelly's wand. Percy then took this time to arrange his glasses in the proper form. With everything intact but his pride, Percy looked at the malevolent woman. Connelly, who had been waiting for some time to introduce the two, spoke out clearly.

"Percy, this is Paige Ackerley, she is joining our Department at the Ministry. Paige, this is Percy Weasley." They shook the other's hand, Percy trying with much difficulty not to wring her hand to shreds. As gangly and weak as he was, he would've managed the task easily, she had thin, soft hands. Before temptation overrode him, he swiftly concluded the grasp. Connelly continued. "I'm sure you two will get along just fine, I expect you to help her out, starting Monday! Ah, look at the time! Better be off! See you Monday, eh?" Connelly slid off his stool, Paige following suit, though much more gracefully. After Connelly's receding back Percy muttered, "Oh yes, Mr. Connelly. I'll make her feel right at home." He turned around with an evil smile. "Right at home." It seemed that Percy was feeling better, for in his overly large brain he was devising a plan, a plan that would surely make Paige feel as bad as he. Sipping another tea, Percy once more smiled evilly into the mug. 


End file.
